How to deodorize your shoes and bags
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Feeling out of your comfort zone at parties? Try these tips
I hate going to business and social events, parties etc. because I can’t deal with having to make small talk and initiate conversation. As a famous butler do you have any words of wisdom for me? Recently I was introduced … Continue Reading
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How to clean copper… with ketchup
Dear Mr. Butler, My friend says that besides ketchup being a great condiment, you can use ketchup to clean metal. Is this true or is she pulling my leg? -Ketchup Lover Dear Ketchup Lover, Your friend is correct. Ketchup is … Continue Reading
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Are you supposed to wash the coffee pot with soap after each use?
I never know if you’re supposed to wash a coffee and teapot with soap and water after each use? -Jen, Calgary Some people suggest that by not washing a coffee or teapot, you actually enhance the flavours of the beverage. … Continue Reading
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Compliment others before praising yourself
Earlier this month I was having lunch at a little café in Toronto when a group of four men and two women sat down beside us. Everyone at that table was in a good mood, and as a young group … Continue Reading
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To be or not to be on your lap: The napkin, examined
When travelling by train or plane and eating while in motion, does the rule change for the placement of the dinner napkin or must it always be on your lap? Mr. Curious Dear Mr. Curious; Well this is such a … Continue Reading
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How to greet men and women in Qatar
I just came back from an amazing business trip to the Middle East, where I was in the beautiful city of Doha, Qatar. While I was there, I was watching a group of international businessmen greet a group of locals. … Continue Reading
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Scrub the glass, not the art
Why does it matter when you clean glass on a picture frame hanging on the wall that you spray your cloth to clean the glass, rather than spraying the glass directly, then using your cloth to clean the glass? I … Continue Reading
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Charles the Butler: Time to get your dishes ready!
Dear Mr. Butler, With both American Thanksgiving and Christmas on the horizon, what can I do to deal with some of my chipped antique dishes to get ready for the holidays? -Signed, Holiday Lady What an organized woman you are. … Continue Reading
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Cleaning the fireplace is no DIY job
Is cleaning my fireplace something I can do on my own or do I need a professional? You absolutely need a professional. A professional chimney cleaner not only cleans the fireplace, but also, more importantly, inspects the mortar between the … Continue Reading
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Don’t just help yourself to a friend’s fridge
Dear Charles the Butler: When I go to my best friend’s home, I never hesitate to go into their refrigerator and help myself to get something to drink. My husband says that this is absolutely not done and is rude … Continue Reading
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We’re not filling up on appetizers
Dear Mr. Butler: I don’t understand why people serve appetizers before dinner. I find that it generally either fills me up or my guests just eat them and then don’t appreciate the dinner I made for them. What’s the point … Continue Reading
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Be the good kind of gym rat: Watch your etiquette
My biggest pet peeve is rude and self-centred people at the gym. Is there such a thing as gym etiquette? Yes! There are some good etiquette rules for the gym. Now that many of us are trying to be good … Continue Reading
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How and when do you tip a hotel butler?
Dear Charles the Butler, My husband and I have an upcoming stay at the Savoy in London, which comes with butler service. We’ve never stayed in a hotel with butler service before. Do you tip after a given service (for … Continue Reading
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How to clean the inside of your microwave
Dear Mr. Butler, Now that the holidays are over and my extended family is gone, I noticed that the inside of my microwave oven is a bloody mess. How do I clean the inside of my microwave oven? Because I … Continue Reading
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Holiday spills? Check the napkin stain chart
I hate dealing with dinner napkin stains, so I tend to use paper instead, but my family hates paper napkins and is always pushing me to use my cloth napkins. First, is it OK to use paper and secondly if … Continue Reading
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Keeping your Christmas dinner hot
How does the Butler keep a Christmas dinner hot for the fancy people you work for? I just want to keep it warm for my family to make my life easier. — Anxious Holiday Cook Dear Anxious Holiday Cook: That’s … Continue Reading
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How to handle tricky French onion soup
What is the proper way to eat French onion soup? The cheese just seems to string on forever, so it’s hard to eat like spaghetti and soup shouldn’t need a fork to eat. Firstly, French onion soup is not an … Continue Reading
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Farewell to the admirable Mrs. Letitia Baldrige
Today I would like to pay homage to the late Letitia Baldrige, a dear lady who I’ve admired for many years. I’ve read most of her books and have even had the honour of interviewing her. Mrs. Baldrige, known as … Continue Reading
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The secrets of dry cleaning revealed
What is dry cleaning? How does it work? Is it really bad for my clothing or is this a myth? I never really actually understood what dry cleaning was until I learned from my friend Jeremy Creed that dry cleaning … Continue Reading
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Cleaning wine glasses without soapy residue
A friend of mine who loves fine wine recently told me that you should never use dish soap to clean expensive wine glasses. Is this true? If so, how do you get them really clean? I’ve heard this theory as … Continue Reading
